Malaysia Air retitles 'bucket list' promo

KUALA LUMPUR — Malaysia Airlines has renamed a promotional competition asking people what activities and destinations are on their “bucket list” after acknowledging it was inappropriate given the two deadly disasters it has suffered this year.

Published: 04/09/2014 at 11:18 AM

Writer: AP

A "bucket list" is a term used by some English-speakers to describe a list of adventures they want to have before they die.

The "My Ultimate Bucket List Campaign" asked customers to come up with suggestions, the best of which would win prizes including flights on the airline. The airline said Thursday that it had withdrawn the title because it was "found to be inappropriate at this point in time."

"The airline appreciates and respects the sentiments of the public and in no way did it intend to offend any parties," it said.

A Malaysia Airlines jet with 239 people on board went missing March 8 while en route to Beijing and no trace of it has been found. In July, a Malaysia Airlines jet was shot down over Ukraine, killing all 298 people on board.

A statement from Malaysia Airlines didn't say what the new name of the campaign was, which is running in Australia and New Zealand until the end of the year.

The airline had a good safety record before the disasters and was once associated with high-quality service. But the twin disasters, and the airlines handling of the first one in particular, has badly damaged its brand.

The airline's majority shareholder, state investment company Khazanah, last week announced it would cut 6,000 workers at Malaysia Airlines as part of a $1.9 billion overhaul.